In the last 15 years or so, the use of vinyl for sign making, especially for designating letters or numbers, has become common. Sheets of vinyl, which are adhered to a protective (typically paper) backing host utilizing an adhesive, are cut into the desired shape and then transferred from their protective backing to a suitable substrate. These vinyl letters and/or numbers or other designs are frequently used on automobiles, planes, billboards, windows, sign and the like. The letters and/or numbers and/or designs come in various sizes and colors.
Sign makers transfer the vinyl letters from the paper backing to the substrate through the use of transfer tape. Several companies that provide distribute tape are: Spartan International, Inc., 1845 Cedar Holt, Mich. 48842; R Tape Corp., #6 Ingersol Road, South Plainfield, N.J. 07080; and Vector TM Graphics, 925 Sawmill River Road, Yonkers, N.Y. 10710. The transfer tape comes in a roll and is usually opaque, sometimes non-opaque. The transfer tape is sticky on one side and is flexible. The sign maker removes the transfer tape from its roll and cuts it to a size sufficient to transfer the vinyl letters from their backing to the substrate. The transfer tape is pressed against the precut vinyl design and the pressure-sensitive adhesive picks up the vinyl off its backing. The vinyl designs are then ready to place against the substrate. Pressure against the transfer paper and vinyl applied evenly helps ensure good adhesion of the design to the substrate. Following the transfer, the transfer tape is pulled off the designs and then discarded.
Heretofore, the transfer tape has not been capable of multiple transfers in duplicating the process of transferring the designs from the backing to the substrate. That is, heretofore, transfer tape has been "single use". Moreover, transfer tape has, heretofore, been self destructive. By self destructive it is meant that, if one portion of the adhesion side of the transfer tape is to touch another portion of the same side of the transfer tape, subsequent separation typically removes the adhesive layer from one of the two touching portions or destroys its adhesive ability.
Clearly, utility lies in the discovery of a medium to use in place of the heretofore available transfer tape which will allow multiple uses of the same piece of transfer tape for a multiplicity of transfers. Moreover, it is clear that utility will lie in the use of a transfer tape that is non-self destructive--meaning that, if one adhesive portion of the transfer tape touches another, subsequent separation will not destroy the tackiness and ability of the tape to subsequently transfer vinyl from a protective host backing to a substrate. Utility also lies in the utilization of a clear transfer tape so as to allow better positioning of the design to the substrate, especially where registration marks or the like are applied to the substrate to assist in positioning. Last, utility lies in the use of a transfer tape that, between transfers, can be placed sticky side down onto a temporary backing medium to protect its adhesive side when not in use, but which may be released and reused for transfers without destroying its tackiness.
Thus, utility is provided in transfer tape that provides sufficient tack (adhesive) capabilities (including tack retention) such that it can be used repeatedly to transfer vinyl letters from a paper backing to a substrate. Further utility lies in a transfer tape sufficiently clear to allow proper positioning of the vinyl letter material to the substrate. Further utility lies in the use of a transfer tape that can be placed against foreign surfaces but which will release and allow re-adhesion to vinyl sign material capable to lift such material off its backing. Further utility lies in the use of a transfer tape that has a high shelf life, specifically one which, after one or more uses, may be set aside for a period of approximately 30 days and then reused to transfer vinyl sign material from a paper backing to a substrate.